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UAAP: NU men near title sweep with Game 1 win over UST

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Karl Cedrick Basco, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="The University of Santo Tomas and National University battle in Game 1 of the finals of the UAAP Season 85 Women" s="" Volleyball="" in="" Pasay="" City="" on="" May="" Mark="" ABS-CBN="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/05/10/20230510-uaap-mens-vball-ust-vs-nu-md-31.jpg"/><figcaption>The University of Santo Tomas and National University battle in Game 1 of the finals of the UAAP Season 85 Women&#x27;s Volleyball in Pasay City on May 10 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA (UPDATED) -- The defending champions National University Bulldogs are on the verge of claiming their third straight UAAP men&#x27;s volleyball title -- and this time, a possible sweep of the season. The Bulldogs survived the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Spikers, 25-23, 25-22, 21-25, 29-31, 15-11, in Game 1 of the Season 85 finals at the Mall of Asia Arena Wednesday and moved just a win away from a 16-0 title run. NU can complete a rare season sweep on Sunday when they face the Golden Spikers once again for Game 2 of the Finals in the same venue. Rookie Michaelo Buddin powered the Bulldogs with 26 points, including 24 attacks, while senior Nico Almendras tallied 20 points, capped by the game-clinching block against UST’s Jay Rack dela Noche. &quot;Sobrang exciting ng game kanina. Both teams talaga, binigay nila ang best every set. Yun lang, medyo lumamang kami ng bandang huli. Although noong mga ibang sets, medyo problema namin ang opensa namin,&quot; head coach Dante Alinsurin said.After allowing the Golden Spikers to comeback from 0-2 down, the Bulldogs rallied back from a 7-5 deficit in the deciding set with three straight points, sparked by an emphatic kill of Obed Mukaba, 8-7. It was a nip and tuck battle in the ensuing plays until the Golden Spikers committed costly errors that gave the Bulldogs a 12-9 cushion. UST would score back-to-back points courtesy of Josh Ybañez to threaten for another comeback just like in the fourth frame, 11-12. But NU dropped a 3-0 close out, ignited by a through-the-block hit of Kenry Malinis to take a hard-fought win. Ybañez top scored in the match with 28 points while Gboy de Vega added 19 markers to steer the UST, which gave NU’s unbeaten record a scare. Down 14-19 in the fourth, the Golden Spikers slowly crawled back, trimming their deficit to just two after a middle hit of Charles Magpayo, 19-21. De Vega hammered three consecutive attacks in the latter part of the set to equalize the game at 22. Buddin put NU at match point with a crosscourt kill, 24-23, before the see-saw battle in the succeeding actions. Knotted at 29, De Vega went for another attack to get set point before the challenge of NU was ruled unsuccessful that extended the match into a full-game marathon. <div> UAAP Season 85 is streaming on iWantTFC every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, available for Premium users outside the Philippines. </div>

The NU Bulldogs are on the verge of claiming their third straight UAAP men's volleyball title -- and this time, a possible sweep of the season. 

UAAP: NU men near title sweep with Game 1 win over UST

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UAAP: NU men near title sweep with Game 1 win over UST

Karl Cedrick Basco,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 10, 2023 05:05 PM PHT

|

Updated May 10, 2023 06:44 PM PHT

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UAAP Finals

UAAP Season 85

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men's volleyball

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